Monday Afternoon Musings - January 18, 2016

Holy Toledo it's cold outside.

Yes, I really DO understand that I live in Ohio but damn. This is cold. I'm currently sitting at my desk wearing two shirts AND a sweater (and pants, duh) AND I'm drinking hot coffee. And I'm still cold.

Which brings me to today's random thoughts:

1. I. Hate. Winter. That's not really an earth-shattering announcement. I told my husband over the weekend that we should move to Florida. Or North Carolina. And was totally NOT kidding.

2. I didn't make New Year's resolutions. I figure it is still January (seriously the LONGEST MONTH OF THE YEAR) so I can still talk about resolutions. Or the lack thereof. What I did decide as the clock struck midnight (OK, it was actually a few days before and I was sound asleep at midnight at New Year's Eve) was this: I don't really care. Now that might sound all Negative Nancy but let me explain. I don't care about certain things anymore. I don't care about the newest fad diet that you're trying. I don't care about your drama. - real or imagined. I don't care about things that (1) I can't (or don't want to) control, (2) have no impact on my life, or (3) just don't interest me at all. I have enough really good stuff going on in my life (and enough crappy stuff too) where I don't need to worry/care/stress/fret about things that don't concern me, don't impact me, don't matter to me. Not my circus. Not my monkeys.

3. I love my job. That's all.

4. I love knowing that there are people friends out there who will call and check on you even though they are dealing with their own epic crap. More #Vaguebooking but we're dealing with a health issue with Olivia that I'm not posting about on Facebook (shocking, I know) and I've only told a few people about. One of those friends called me last week because she said she had been thinking about us all week and wanted to see how things were going. We had a wonderful 45-minute long phone call and when it was finished I couldn't stop thinking about how really awesome it is to have NICE people in your life.

5. Stop being jerks to people. Seriously you guys, it isn't funny. It isn't funny when your kids are assholes to other kids. It isn't funny when you're an asshole to other parents. It's crappy and immature and if your life is that freaking miserable that you have to channel all your anger and frustration (and jealousy) onto other parents and their kids, perhaps it is time to reevaluate what is making you so unhappy and change it. You get one freaking go-around on this crazy ride called life so why not make the most of it and actually BE F*CKING HAPPY instead of working really f*cking hard on being miserable and negative all the time.

[I told you that language was possible on this blog. It's totally a PG-13 to R rating. No apologies.]

Oh yeah that "try one new recipe a week" thing? I made two last week. Damn I'm good. The Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup was a hit (Olivia ate THREE BOWLS at dinner). The Farfalle with Mushrooms and Spinach was good but it really needed a Parmesan cream sauce so I'll have to rework it. This week I'm going to (finally) make Paula Deen's potato soup recipe that everyone raves about. I hate potato soup so this ought to be interesting.

Happy Monday all.
Stay warm.
Be happy.

Winter is never going to end. Ever.

Remember waaaaay back on February 2 when that stupid rodent in Pennsylvania predicted that we would have an early spring and everyone was so happy?

Yeah.
The rodent lied.
He should be fired.
Or made into stew.
Or maybe a hat.

Tomorrow is the "official" first day of Spring.
It's going to be 30 degrees with snow here in northwest Ohio. Not very spring-like if you ask me.

Right now, it's snowing. And freezing cold. And the winds are making it even colder. It's a blustery cold snowy day here in the Hundred Acre Wood.

And while we're on the subject of snow...raise your hands if you're just about over the whole naming of the winter storms thing. Yeah, great idea Weather Channel..let's give each winter storm cute little names like Draco or Gandolf or Nemo. Or Triton. Or Ukko. Who had that brilliant idea? And who thought naming a storm after a little clown fish would make people sit up and take notice?

Dear Weather Channel ... please don't ever name winter storms again. Like ever. I don't care how geeky it made you feel to come up with this list for 2012-2013. Maybe if you had decided to NOT name every freaking snow storm that appeared, it might actually be warm by now. As it is, we're probably going to be in the middle of April dealing with WINTER STORM ZEUS. Thanks a lot.

An open letter to January

Dear January,

We need to talk.

It's not that I don't like you - I do.
For two days.
I like you on the days my daughters were born.

But aside from those two amazing, magical, wonderful days....well, you're worthless.

It's NOT me.
It's you.
All you.

First, you have this superiority complex with this whole 31 day thing.
I mean really...
WHY in the world should the first month of the year have 31 days?
Especially when that month is the coldest, snowiest, most miserable month of the year?

If I had created the yearly calendar, I would have totally picked February over you, my dear January. Twenty-eight days is a much better way to ease into the year. Thirty-one days is just WAY too long.

And then there's your weather.
You're bitterly cold.
And icy and cruel.
And snow covered.
None of that makes you fun, like oh...June.
June is a nice warm, fun month.

January?
Not. At. All.
Don't believe me?
Ask the East Coast how they like January right about now.
Snowmageddon 1, 2, and 3...that's all I'm sayin'.

Around these parts, it has snowed at least once a week EVERY SINGLE WEEK this month.
And this week, it snowed 2" today and another 1-3" tomorrow.
That is just uncalled for behavior from you, dear January.

If it weren't for the two birthdays we celebrate this month, I would break up with you forever January. I would skip straight into February with her measly 28 days.

In the past 27 days we've had too much snow, way too many bitterly cold days, an illness (or two) every week, three or four doctor's visits, and as of tonight....one trip to the emergency room.

January....you suck.
You're just very lucky my daughters were born this month or we'd be so over.

Next year try to be a bit more considerate of people's feelings (and health) and cut back on the cold and snow and sickness, OK?

Thanks,
Traci

'Tis the season (I suppose)

Dear Mother Nature,

OK. I get it.
Today IS the first day of December.

But seriously.
Did you have to make it SNOW just to prove that we're THISCLOSE to a long, cold, miserable winter?

I mean really.
It's a bit overly dramatic, don't ya think?

"Snow showers??"
Have you looked outside?
It's snowing big fat flakes and IT'S STICKING!!!!!

This is not acceptable.

Yesterday's weather?
Yeah, that was acceptable.
Mid 50s, breezy, a little rain.
I could handle that all winter long.

But this snow on the FIRST day of December?
Not so much.

If this is your way of saying "Hey kids, hold on to something...it's going to be a very bumpy - and COLD and SNOWY - winter!" .... that is not OK with me. Because you know, we just did the whole snow/blizzard/brutally cold temps thing....and it wasn't any fun.

So how about this...

Let's give props to Al Gore and the whole 'global warming' thing and change the winter weather in northwest Ohio to something like this: nothing colder than 50 degrees, a little rain now and then, and no snow.

OK?

Thanks.

Yours truly,
Traci